THE COMMERCIAL ATHLETE
YOUR ATHLETES ARE ALREADY BEING SEEN. THIS IS HOW YOU HELP THEM SHOW UP.
Whether an athlete is chasing selection, securing their first ambassador role, or negotiating a major brand partnership — the way they present themselves commercially shapes the outcome. Brands, selectors, scholarship panels, clubs, and media form impressions long before any formal introduction. The athletes who understand this, and know how to build and communicate their value with clarity and intention, are the ones who attract better opportunities at every level.
The Commercial Athlete Workshop gives your athletes a practical, proven framework for building their personal brand and becoming genuinely opportunity-ready. Not a social media masterclass. Not an influencer playbook. A grounded, expert-led session that equips athletes to show up with confidence, clarity, and commercial intelligence — right now, while they are still competing.
WHY THIS MATTERS NOW
WHAT YOUR ATHLETE GAINS. WHAT YOUR ORGANISATION GAINS.
ATHLETE VALUE
Most athletes are building a brand without knowing it — through how they perform, how they communicate, and how they show up. This workshop makes that process intentional. Athletes leave with a clear understanding of their value, a framework for building their brand, and a practical plan for attracting the right opportunities at their current stage — whether that's a first ambassador role or a major brand partnership.
ORGANISATIONAL VALUE
Investing in your athletes' commercial education is one of the highest-value things you can do for their long-term development — and for your program's reputation. The Commercial Athlete Workshop gives you a structured, expert-led way to equip your athletes with skills that extend well beyond sport: communication, self-presentation, commercial awareness, and the confidence to represent themselves and your organisation with professionalism.
$50b+
GLOBAL SPORTS SPONSORSHIP MARKET
Growing year on year — and brands are no longer just buying sport. They're buying athlete identity, values, and audience trust. The athletes with a clear, credible brand are the ones getting the call.
40%
MORE LIFETIME INCOME
Athletes who build a strong athlete brand during their career earn up to 40% more in long-term lifetime income than those who rely on performance alone. Brand equity compounds — the earlier it starts, the greater the return.
Before
DECISIONS ARE MADE BEFORE CONTACT
Sponsorship decisions are largely made before an athlete is ever contacted. Digital presence, values alignment, and commercial credibility are assessed long before any conversation begins. Athletes who aren't positioned are already behind.
TWO EDITIONS. ONE FRAMEWORK. BUILT FOR EVERY LEVEL
THE COMMERCIAL ATHLETE
The Commercial Athlete is delivered in two editions — each tailored to the career stage, commercial reality, and specific needs of the athletes in the room.
Choose the edition that fits your athletes.
FOR PROFESSIONAL AND ELITE ATHLETES
THE COMMERCIAL ATHLETE : PRO EDITION
At this level, brand is no longer optional — it is a commercial asset. The athletes who understand how to build, position, and leverage their personal brand attract better partnerships, negotiate from a stronger position, and create income and opportunity that extends well beyond their playing career.
This session gives elite athletes the strategic framework and commercial tools to take control of their brand, increase their market value, and build something that works for them — on and off the field.
WHO THIS IS FOR
Professional sporting clubs, national squads, elite performance programs, and high-performance units looking to give their athletes a genuine commercial edge and the knowledge to build a brand that generates real, long-term value.
WHAT PARTICIPANTS LEAVE WITH
01
A clear strategic understanding of how personal brand drives commercial outcomes at the elite level — sponsorships, partnerships, media, and beyond
02
The ability to define and articulate their brand positioning, value proposition, and commercial narrative
03
Practical tools for building brand assets — media kits, digital presence, content strategy, and pitch-ready communications
04
A full picture of the commercial opportunity landscape and how to attract, build, and secure the right opportunities — directly or through their management team
05
A personalised commercial brand plan built around their current profile, goals, and next career stage
DURATION: 2 hour edition (The Foundations) and a 6hr edition (The Playbook)
DELIVERY: In-person
FORMAT: Strategic briefing, interactive exercises, and takeaway resources
FOR EMERGING AND PATHWAY ATHLETES
THE COMMERCIAL ATHLETE : PATHWAY EDITION
The athletes who start building their brand early don't just have a head start — they have a fundamentally different career. Clarity about who they are, what they stand for, and how they communicate it creates a foundation that every future opportunity is built on.
This session gives emerging athletes the framework, tools, and 90-day plan to start building with intention — at exactly the right moment.
WHO THIS IS FOR
Sporting associations, pathway programs, high-performance academies, and scholarship programs committed to developing athletes who are not just talented, but want to be commercially ready and opportunity-aware.
WHAT PARTICIPANTS LEAVE WITH
01
A clear understanding of what a athlete brand actually is — and why it matters now, not later
02
The ability to define their identity, values, and brand direction using The Commercial Athlete framework
03
Practical tools for building their digital presence, athlete bio, and content with consistency and purpose
04
An understanding of the full commercial opportunity landscape available to athletes at their level — including opportunities that are available right now
05
A 90-day athlete brand plan with clear, achievable actions they can start the same week
DURATION: 2 hours
DELIVERY: In-person or virtual
FORMAT: Education, interactive exercises, and takeaway resources
FOR EMERGING AND PATHWAY ATHLETES
THE COMMERCIAL ATHLETE : PATHWAY EDITION
The athletes who start building their brand early don't just have a head start — they have a fundamentally different career. Clarity about who they are, what they stand for, and how they communicate it creates a foundation that every future opportunity is built on.
This session gives emerging athletes the framework, tools, and 90-day plan to start building with intention — at exactly the right moment.
WHO THIS IS FOR
Sporting associations, pathway programs, high-performance academies, and scholarship programs committed to developing athletes who are not just talented, but want to be commercially ready and opportunity-aware.
WHAT'S INCLUDED IN BOTH EDITIONS
The Commercial Athlete framework — a clear, practical four-stage model (Identity → Strategy → Execute → Commercialise) that gives athletes a structure they can return to and build on long after the session ends.
Pre-session personalisation — athlete information collected in advance so examples, exercises, and key messages are tailored to your group from the start.
Takeaway resources — every athlete leaves with an action plan, their core identity framework, and a practical toolkit they can use immediately.
Flexible delivery — in-person or virtual. Designed to complement your existing program structure without disruption.
Two editions, one platform — both workshops share the same foundational framework, allowing organisations to deliver the Emerging edition now and progress athletes into the Elite edition as their career develops.
WHERE DEEP INDUSTRY EXPERTISE MEETS REAL ATHLETE OUTCOMES
The Commercial Athlete Workshop is built from over two decades of executive-level experience in marketing, media, PR, and professional athlete brand management — at major brands and inside the sporting industry.
Carlie Green-Medina founded The Commercial Athlete to close the gap between what athletes are taught and what the commercial world actually expects. She has managed athlete brands at the highest level, negotiated deals, built commercial strategies, and been in the rooms where sponsorship and partnership decisions are made.
She brings that same depth of experience to every session — translating real-world commercial expertise into practical education that athletes can understand, apply, and build on immediately.
The result is a session that feels nothing like a standard education program — because it isn't one.
ENQUIRE NOW
BRING THE COMMERCIAL ATHLETE WORKSHOP TO YOUR ATHLETES
The organisations investing in their athletes' commercial development now will be the ones leading the conversation in two years.
Tell us about your organisation and your athletes. We'll come back to you with the right edition, a tailored proposal, and everything you need to make the decision.
ALSO AVAILABLE AS
-
Keynote or conference presentation